Well known though Borodin's Second Quartet is, the First has suffered relative neglect. It had a long gestation period, but it is a strong, inventive work, well worth discovering and with a truly engaging finale. The second quartet has at its centre, the wonderful Nocturne, which has gone on to become a concert piece in its own right. Both works constitute some of the most important chamber music to have come out of Russia in the 19th century. The Fitzwilliam Quartet recorded these pieces in 1979 and 1980 and they have never before been available on CD.